Scientific Trials

Trial One –Stratford Demonstration Farm

Feed molasses...THE RESULTS ARE OVERWHELMING

An independent trial carried out by the Stratford Demonstration Farm Taranaki, concluded that feeding molasses to 74 Jersey cows offered significant production and mating benefits over non-molasses fed controls on the same farm.

METHOD

• Over the winter season, cows were allocated to one of two groups, split evenly into either the control or molasses group as they left the colostrum mob
• 74 ‘molasses’ cows were offered ad-lib molasses twice daily in the exit race following milking
• 74 ‘control’ cows were managed in the same way, but had no access to molasses
• Both herds were grazed separately in self-contained 23ha farmlets, each made up of 20 paddocks
• Milk from each herd was collected in separate vats to measure bulk milk solids production from each herd

HOW MANY KGS OF MOLASSES WERE CONSUMED?

Cows ate on average 439kg of molasses per cow for 191 days. The average intake was 2.3kg/cow/day (range 1.5 – 3.1kg/cow/day).

HOW MANY MILK SOLIDS WERE PRODUCED?

An extra 9.1% milk solids (MS) was produced by the molasses cows from calving until the end of the following February. The molasses cows averaged 281 kg MS per cow, an extra 23.5 kg MS per cow over the average of the control group which was 258kg MS per cow for the same period.

DID MOLASSES IMPROVE MATING OUTCOMES?

There were anecdotal reports of increased submission rates, leading to improved conception rates. Scanning confirmed an empty rate in the molasses herd of less than a third that of the control group; 7% vs 24% resulting in fewer empty cows culled and a shift in calving midpoint for the next season.

The graph below shows weekly average milk solids (kg per cow per day) produced by the Molasses and Control herds (excludes calf milk).

Milk protein and fat test:

In addition to extra litres of milk per cow a key driver of the higher milk solids production by the molasses-fed cows is a substantially higher milk protein %. Molasses-fed cows are showing a consistently higher milk protein % test and a slightly higher milk fat % than the control herd.

Trial Two – Massey Trials

MORE MILK PRODUCED BY MOLASSES FED COWS!

An independent study run by Jennifer Burke at Massey University has shown that feeding molasses improved milk solid production and lifted the magnesium status of molasses supplemented, spring calved dairy cows.

METHOD

• Feedgrade molasses was offered to 34 cows at 500g/cow/day for the first 120 days of lactation
• The control group didn’t receive any molasses
• Cows were grazed and fed together for the duration of the study

HOW MANY MILK SOLIDS (MS) WERE PRODUCED?

Molasses fed cows produced 8.2% more milk/cow (2555 litres v 2361 litres) and 3.6% more solids/cow (203.6kg MS v 196.6kg MS) over the 120 day trial period.

More milk solids from molasses fed cows may reflect an improved dry matter intake or better utilisation of other feeds in the diet as a result of extra energy provided to the rumen microbes by the molasses.

DID MOLASSES PREVENT METABOLIC DISEASE?

In the same study serum magnesium levels were measured and noted to be significantly higher in cows that were fed molasses post-calving. Elevated serum magnesium levels can help prevent metabolic disease. E.g. Milk fever and grass tetany. Other studies have confirmed improved uptake of magnesium from the rumen in the presence of feeds containing sugar and starch.

Massey University 2003